A Fresh Perspective on Chiropractic Care

by Dr. Brad Steinle

                Chiropractic is a frequently misunderstood profession. This is due to the fact that the majority of the population is learning about chiropractic through pop culture, such as the popular show, Two and a Half Men. In today’s society, most people get their health advice from television without consciously realizing it.

The most elemental misconception of the chiropractic profession is the level of education necessary to receive a Doctor of Chiropractic degree. A study by Chapman-Smith, D. shows that the average number of required classroom hours in chiropractic school is 4,485 while medical school is 4,248.¹ The total number of hours are virtually identical, with the variation arising from the number of hours spent in different course subjects.

Chiropractic is taught as a science, an art and a philosophy. The science comes from the rigorous studies of the human body and its functions. Chiropractors spend years studying the anatomy and physiology of the body, especially as it applies to the nervous system and spinal biomechanics. Chiropractors learn to detect vertebral subluxations, which are movements in the spine (less than a dislocation) that produce pressure on the nervous system and inhibit normal communication from the brain to the body as well as the body to the brain. The art of chiropractic comes from the adjustment of these subluxations. Chiropractors discover the direction and degree of the subluxation and then deliver an adjustment to replace that vertebra to its normal position. The philosophy of chiropractic stems from the idea that the nervous system communicates with every other body system and any degree of external interference will have a deleterious effect on its function. Being in adjustment (subluxation free) doesn’t just reduce current pain syndromes, it prevents others from ever developing.

Today, chiropractors and medical doctors are actively working together for the advancement of patient care. Dr. Guy Riekeman, president of Life University, equated a patient’s health care to a metaphorical cliff; chiropractic is the fence that one puts around the edges of the cliff and medicine is the ambulance waiting at the bottom. They both play a very important part in a person’s health. It is important for each doctor to identify his or her strengths and weaknesses in order to make referrals most suitable for the patient.

The only way to truly restore today’s health care system is for each individual to take responsibility for his or her own well-being. Scrutinize the information that is cast to the public, ask a health care professional for his or her advice on a subject and do personal research to formulate an educated opinion. Call and make an appointment with our office, or your local chiropractor, for any health concerns that you or your family may be experiencing.

• Chapman-Smith, D. The Chiropractic Profession. NCMIC Group Inc. 2000.